Hill Institute’s Weaving Program                                                                 

The weaving program is open to weavers who know how to wind a warp, dress a loom and read a standard weaving draft, and who possess basic weaving skills. The program consists of four years of class work (five years for the Monday section) in which students acquire a multitude of knowledge and skills, followed by two years of independent work. Some students attend the weaving program for a short time, others complete the four/five years of class work but not the final two years of independent work, and still there are others who complete the certificate requirements and become master weavers.

Wednesday and Saturday Sections

These sections run for the length of the school year. Classes normally start in early September and finish around the end of April (except for holidays and school vacations). The total number of classes in a school year is typically between 25 and 30 (approx. 150 hours per school year). The Wednesday section meets from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; several times throughout the school year, however, it meets from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Saturday section meets from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Tuition is currently $605, plus the cost of materials.

Monday Night Section

This section is similar to the other two sections except that the class meeting time is shorter and the class work is completed over five years. Class meets from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m., totaling approximately 120 hours per school year. Class is held on a few holidays in order to get in the typical 30 sessions. Tuition is currently $485, plus the cost of materials.

Homework Requirements

Students in all sections complete the same projects. Certain projects are assigned as homework. The homework assignments are a requirement of the program, and students are expected to use their own looms and yarns to complete the homework.

If a student falls behind on the number of class projects usually woven in a year, it is expected that the student will weave some of the projects at home in order to catch up.

General Information

Students are expected to make up any missed class time by attending one of the other sections for the number of hours missed. All time should be made up by the last class of that school year.

Students who complete the class work early are still required to attend class for four/five years.

Tuition for the entire school year is due on the first day of class in September.

The Letter of Achievement and the Master Weaver Certificate

Students who successfully complete the four/five years of formal study and all of the corresponding class work are awarded the Letter of Achievement. Only students who have been awarded the Letter of Achievement may pursue the Master Weaver Certificate. The Certificate is awarded to students who successfully complete a series of independent projects within a two-year period.

For more information or to get on the waiting list, please contact Chris Hammel, Director of Weaving, at (413) 584-1725.